Batter's Box Interactive Magazine - All Star Rosters Announced

Seven Cubs and seven Red Sox were selected to the two sides. Roy Halladay is the only Jay selected to play as Shaun Marcum misses the cut, and a record three Canadians make the team - Ryan Dempster, Justin Morneau and Russell Martin. Also, apparently they take about 32 players per league now, which seems like an awful lot.

American League
C: Joe Mauer
1B: Kevin Youklis
2B: Dustin Pedroia
SS: Derek Jeter
3B: Alex Rodriguez
OF: Josh Hamilton
OF: Ichiro Suzuki
OF: Manny Ramirez
DH: David Ortiz (Replaced by Milton Bradley)

National League
C: Geovany Soto
1B: Lance Berkman
2B: Chase Utley
SS: Hanley Ramirez
3B: Chipper Jones
OF: Ryan Braun
OF: Alfonso Soriano
OF: Kosuke Fukudome

A full list of players is available here.

A few thoughts: Marcum deserved to make the team, I'd take him over Ervin Santana, as I probably would a couple of other pitchers. Six of the fourteen American League closers are on the AL team. Being in the top 40%... I don't know, it doesn't scream 'All-Star' to me. Most dubious All-Star: easily Jason Varitek, who was chosen by the players. AJ Pierzynski was definitely more deserving, and Tek has been awful this year. Brian Wilson of the GIants (24 saves, 1.4 Whip, 4.37 ERA) has been, well, not quite ASG worthy either. Christian Guzman also somehow made the ASG, even though Jose Reyes and J.J. Hardy have been much, much better than him. Miguel Tejada has been even worse than Guzman, and has made it also. Finally, I don't know whether I'm more surprised that there are seven Cubs, or that Mark Derosa (.294/.380/.469, 51 R, 49 RBI) didn't make it.

Posted by Anders on Sunday, July 06 2008 @ 04:54 PM EDT.

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Mick Doherty - Sunday, July 06 2008 @ 07:30 PM EDT (#188460) #

Serious question -- can any other franchise make this claim? No fewer than TEN (10!) Rangers and ex-Rangers will appear in the upcoming All-Star Game, though only one current Ranger (Josh Hamilton) was elected to start; a second (Milton Bradley) will be an injury replacement starter, while the DP combo of Mike Young and Ian Kinsler will be on the AL bench.

Ex-Rangers who are starting include Alex Rodriguez for the AL and possibly Edinson Volquez for the NL, while the remaining Texas Exes on the rosters include the NL's Adrian Gonzalez, Ryan Ludwick and Ryan Dempster and the AL's Justin Duchscherer.

Maybe given the massive player movement intrinsic to the current makeup of the game this isn't an unusual number ... but it sure jumped off the screen at me!

Mick Doherty - Sunday, July 06 2008 @ 07:35 PM EDT (#188461) #

Oh, and make it 11 if Carlos Lee wins the NL vote for last man on the team -- he won't, Wright will win it going away, but there's another ex-Ranger for you!

James W - Sunday, July 06 2008 @ 09:59 PM EDT (#188467) #

He was right though. It was incredible to listen to Barfield's rant. "He's won a gold glove!" Yes, undeservedly. That's one reason he's overrated!

Mike Green - Monday, July 07 2008 @ 11:54 AM EDT (#188488) #

Jesse complained that the players unanimously voted Jeter the most overrated player, Mulliniks was silent, and I turned off the TV (briefly). It is not that Jeter has been a poor player, but rather that he is perceived to be an order of magnitude better than Placido Polanco (say). That he is not.

Jeter seems to be fading this year. We'll see if it is temporary.

John Northey - Monday, July 07 2008 @ 12:51 PM EDT (#188492) #

Interesting, hadn't checked Jeter's stats but he is at 97 for OPS+ (never below 100 for a full season, last time below 110 was his 2nd full season at age 23). His 281 Avg is his worst (291 is his current worst). 343 OBP is his worst too (next is a 352 followed by 370). His 385 Slg is the worst he's had as well (never below 400 before). What is funny is his strikeouts are on pace for a career low too. Go figure.

Interesting to note Jeter's most similar through age 33 is Roberto Alomar who at age 34 dropped from 150 OPS+ (his career high and having 13 out of 14 seasons over 100 for OPS+) to a 89 at 34 then 80 at 35 and 81 at 36 then out of baseball. Is it too much to hope the same thing occurs to Jeter?

Glevin - Tuesday, July 08 2008 @ 01:33 AM EDT (#188522) #

"It is not that Jeter has been a poor player, but rather that he is perceived to be an order of magnitude better than Placido Polanco (say). That he is not."

What? Jeter has been a much, much better player than Polanco in any way you can measure it. As overrated as Jeter is by some people, I find him vastly underrated by a lot of stats people. The guy has had a great career.

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